Right to Philosophy and Civic Education

Intersections in Privilege or the Right to Philosophy

Abstract

Based on the reflection on the multiplicity of meanings that can be extracted from the statement "right to philosophy", Derrida discusses who has the right to it, who legitimizes it, how it is institutionalized and what its limits are. For Derrida, philosophy is mediated by institutions, individuals, and languages authorized to practice it. However, the reflection that this very authorization constitutes a power in itself has been left out. I want to establish a relationship between the right to philosophy and its teaching and the subject of Civic Education in Chile. The thesis of this essay is that the discussion on Civic Education distances itself from reflecting on its own limits, as it does not problematize the institutions that legitimize it. From this arise questions for reflection: How is it expected to educate citizens if it is relegated to the final years, if only some are authorized to practice its exercise? Can citizenship be taught without discussing its limits? Is it possible to conceive of citizenship outside of philosophy? Can institutionalized philosophical exercise be carried out without undermining the very institutions that legitimize it? Derrida's work is suitable for thinking about these issues.